Nemours Supports National “Emergency Medical Services for Children” Day

Jacksonville, Florida
Tuesday, May 20, 2008 @ 07:00 PM EDT
by: Odette Struys (904) 697-4186 email: ostruys

Will distribute blue band aids to staff and patients to thank EMS providers

Jacksonville, FL — May 21 is National Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day. Established in 1984, EMSC is a national initiative designed to reduce child and youth disability and death due to severe illness and injury. In celebration of EMSC Day, the Department of Health’s EMSC Program is partnering with Nemours, one of the nation’s largest children’s health systems, to distribute blue band aids at its Florida Clinics in Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola.

Wearing the blue band aid signifies a symbol of thanks to area emergency department personnel, hospital officials, critical care pediatricians, EMS personnel, EMTs, paramedics, area legislators, state senators and representatives, child advocates and local emergency rescue leaders.

“This effort by Nemours is to bring added awareness and appreciation for the many emergency responders in our community,” said Freddie Guyer, MD, Chief of Hospitalists Services at Nemours Children’s Clinic Jacksonville. “Children have different emergency medical needs than adults, and they require specific emergency medical equipment as well. We are grateful for our EMS teams in Jacksonville,” said Dr. Guyer.

The primary goal of EMSC is to prevent childhood illness or injury. Injury alone claims the lives of more children aged 1-19 than all other causes combined, with nearly 21,000 more deaths occurring due to illness and other disorders. When prevention fails, the goal is to ensure that the estimated 30 million children and adolescents who find themselves in emergency departments each year because of an illness or injury receive state-of-the-art emergency medical care from emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and paramedics, emergency department personnel and rehabilitation specialists.

“EMSC was created and operates on the realization that seriously ill and injured children cannot be treated as little adults,” said John C. Bixler, Paramedic, RN, BSN, Chief of the Department of Health’s Bureau of Emergency Medical Services (EMS). “Children suffer from a unique spectrum of diseases and injuries and have important anatomic, physiological and developmental differences.”

The EMSC effort has improved the availability of child-size equipment in ambulances and emergency departments. It has also introduced hundreds of programs to prevent injuries and has provided thousands of hours of training to EMTs, paramedics and other emergency medical care providers.

For additional information about Florida’s Emergency Medical Services for Children Program, visit the Department of Health website at www.doh.state.fl.us/emsc.

modified: Tuesday, September 30, 2008 @ 07:43 AM EDT
created: Monday, May 19, 2008 @ 06:57 PM EDT

About Nemours

Nemours, one of the nation’s largest pediatric health systems, is dedicated to achieving higher standards in children’s health. Nemours offers an integrated spectrum of clinical treatment coupled with research, advocacy, and educational health and prevention services extending to all families in the communities it serves. Starting with Alfred I. duPont’s bequest over seventy years ago, Nemours has grown into a multi-dimensional organization offering personalized clinical and preventive care focused on children.

Nemours owns and operates the Alfred I. duPont Hospital for Children in Wilmington, Delaware and major children’s specialty clinics in Delaware (Wilmington), Florida (Jacksonville, Orlando and Pensacola), Pennsylvania (Philadelphia and Bryn Mawr) and New Jersey (Atlantic City and Voorhees). Having recently received preliminary approval from the State of Florida, Nemours will establish a new full-service children’s hospital as part of an integrated pediatric health campus in Orlando. KidsHealth.org, the world’s most visited pediatric health care Web site for parents, kids and teens, is a project of Nemours.

Nemours employs over 4,400 individuals, including 430 pediatric physicians, specialists and surgeons who cared for approximately a quarter of a million children in 2007. The organization’s goal is to align with parents, physicians, community leaders, children’s advocates and elected officials to ensure optimal wellness for every child. Additional information about Nemours can be found at www.nemours.org.